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What one should know before purchasing an Xperia phone

Not applicable

What one should know before purchasing an Xperia phone

I think once you own a phone, you get attached to it, and if you are an optimist, probably you see the positive side of it and just ignore the negative sides so much so that even you may not see what are the issues and shortcomings in the phone are.

I have purchased Xperia X10 a couple of month ago. I am in love with this phone and enjoying it's feature and in overall experience I can say that it is the best phone i owned till date (earlier i had Nokia E65, Nokia 5800 xpressmusic, Nokia N82 and a few other before purchasing this phone).

Still, to be frank, there are some shortcomings and issues which one generally should not expect from such an expensive and high-end phone (and these shortcomings are going to be remained even if you upgrade it to you Android 2.1 which is yet to be released worldwide).

First i would like to mention those features which i enjoyed in my Nokias but which are not available in X10 :

1. TV-Out - I have a Sony Bravia 32 inch LCD TV and i frequently used to use this TV-out feature available in my Nokia phones with it whether it is to play youtube videos on TV via the phone, or to see slide show of the pictures of the phone's albums with the family every now and then. That's why I hugely miss this feature in Xperia.

2. Camera quality with Xenon flash - Even though x10 has 8 mp camera and N82 has 5 mp, N82 snaps nicer and clearer pictures IMHO. Also the Xenon Flash in N82 is just awesome. Also i do not understand why the flash (called photo light in x10) is by default off and so much hidden (you have to click menu, then advance setting then photo light and click it in on position everytime you use camera).

3. PC suit / PC companion - Needless to say PC suit is a big lot better than PC companion. In fact, i believe PC suit is the best among it's kind.

4. Making phone work as modem - though there are some 3rd party applications that make x10 work as a modem for having internet connection in your pc or laptop via it, however, it is much better, easier, in-built, and official in Nokia's smartphones.

5. FM Radio - Yes, you can enjoy radio on X10 by installing any one of the tens of internet radio applications available in the android market. But let's face it you can use those apps only if you have internet (and many a time you don't have) as well as no internet radio app can give you that kind of fun, experience and unexpectedibility which one can find with the in-built FM Radio in many Nokia handsets.

There maybe more to this list but i have mentioned those which i miss the most. if anyone this list should include more they are free to comment and add.

2ndly, even though you have android OS in X10, almost all other companies handsets which are based on android are going to have many features which X10 can't simply because X10 is about to integrate 2.1 version of android (Eclare) now whereas those phones have already upgraded or about to be upgraded to 2.2 version (Froyo). And seeing with the soooooooooo slow speed SE is upgrading the OS of its X10 family handsets, it is likely that they will either upgrade it to 2.2  in another year or so (this 2.1 upgradation is going to take place after one year of X10 launch), or they will never upgrade it to 2.2 at all.

Here are the major features which are available in 2.2 but not in 2.1:

6. Ability to install applications on removable storage i.e. in your MicroSd card - Though X10 has 1 GB of internal storage with 384 MB of RAM, both are likely to be run out of itself if you, like me, become unable to hold the temptation to download many many free and paid games and apps available in more-than-a-million-apps-rich android market. I donot understand why it is restricted in android 2.1 to install apps in the memory card.

7. Faster speed and performance - You think Xperia X10 is fast enough even with its current version of android (1.6), and it will certainly improve on speed in the 2.1. But i just searched and was surprised to find that 2.2 is 450% faster then 2.1. Imagine the kind of speed and performance we would have enjoyed with the phone, had SE upgraded it to 2.2 instead of 2.1.

8. USB teathering and Wi-Fi hotspot - these are damn cool, latest, and usable features (google it and read more about it in case if you do not know) unfortunately only available with 2.2 and not with 2.1.

9. Flash 10.1 - Also in version 2.2 is the addition of support for Flash 10.1. This will keep Android devices compliant with sites and applications that shift to using the latest version of Flash. This also affects video viewing as Flash is used by a lot of video streaming sites like Youtube.

10. Apart from above, changes were made to the graphics, UI, device policy, camera, and media framework APIs as well as some corporate features like more capabilities of Microsoft Exchange, remote data wiping, auto-discovery, global address lists look-up, and Exchange calendars etc. etc. These are not available in 2.1.

Apart from these all comparison-with-nokia and android issues and shortcomings, a so much high-end and expensive phone should have the following but unfortunately it does not have due to one reason or another:

11. Multi-touch - i heard that there is some proprietary issue with this and therefore SE perhaps never going to include multi-touch in it's handsets.

12. Color depth richness should have been in the range of 16 million however it is 65K only.

13. Amoled touch screen - best touch screen technology today.

14. 3d acceleration - for better viewing and gaming experience.

And many more....

One can say that i am expecting a little too much but let me tell again that if you spend a good amount of money on something, you expect it to have the latest technologies and features the other contemporaries mobile sets are having and that is on cheaper price.

Thanks for reading!

38 REPLIES 38
an2ny79
Visitor

When v2.1 has been released and I got my update, so happy I joined this forum.  I remembered that I posted one comment saying that after this v2.1 people will then ask for more, they'd ask 2.2 etc etc.. I guess I was right..

I was contented with my v2.1 and go on with my life.. Used Hi! Yahoo to do messenging.. Played Angry Bird.  Didn't care for multitouch because it's no big deal, after all screen size isn't the same as my IPAD or GTAB. Until Yahoo Messenger (even Skype) appeared and offered this video/call.. I know it's not important to many but it is for me.  It's very convenient and saves me money and time because communication plays big part in my business.

Well, SE x10 hardware and v2.1 software are stable for me.. Im still proud of my x10.. But as soon as XDA ROM became rock steady, I'd give my phone's software a make over and enjoy the benefits from that platform.

For me, it's not because someone has v2.2 or 2.3 and we need to be in trend.  It's just, some applications just don't work with current version and platform update is the only way to get/use it.. Of course, some has different point of views and some just want to be on top.

suze
Leader

ak3dgfx, can I just say that it is an absolute joy to read a really well thought out and eloquent post regarding the phones, the updates and the future.  After weeks of pointless ranting it is a breath of fresh air to hear such intelligent input.  I know you are not a 'mindless fanboy' and have criticised where you felt that crticism was due and praised in areas when that was also due, at times I know you also had some severe baiting by another member too. Anyway, just felt it merited a comment - I'll shut up now.

an2ny79
Visitor

Suze, so you mean we're unintelligent and our inputs were all pointless???  Nah, I'm just kidding.. Smiling_Face_with_open_mouth_&_closed_Eyes  Being moderator is a tough job afterall.  And you have my respect for keeping your cool.

Well, it's really hard to please everyone and all of us here have different points of view. All I am saying, not everyone can comprehend the real situation...

There are different scenarios and problems with SE devices.. Some just expect too much and got disappointed..  Some think they've been deceived... Some have just accepted it as is and move on with their lives with contentment... and some never solve their case and patience got out of control..  So different cases here are all mixed up..  What would you expect? it's an open forum where-in you can shout-out your opinions.. There's no right or wrong opinion, even my opinion could be unacceptable for you. So all we need to do here is talk it out with respect and allow reality to sink in.

All in all, I love my x10 device although I really want to give it a satisfying platform update which SE won't be able to provide.  Good thing there always an alternative way for that, XDA Developers.

Anyway, comparing with my x2, my daughter chose my x10 in case I would buy a new device in the near future.

Not applicable

I think we should see future under a optimistic point of view, where providers could still regulating and limiting their service through SIM card without interfering Os and software since Hdspa netbooks are well capable of that. If you get a limited contract it is not relevant the Os or special hacked software you have  since your SIM card will give just what you have signed nothing more, i.e if you have not signed a HSDPA service there is no hack that will provide it free to you so I can't see providers worries about. Finally I must say landlines service providers are not so different from cellular providers and regulations are quite the same at this time since you are able to use your phone as a modem then you are able to use it with your well open source software too.

Not applicable

OT !!!!

Our Ak3... friend could get colored with your post...

an2ny79
Visitor

Actually I couldn't figure out why does the carrier / provider interferes with phone's OS updates.. Could it be compatibility issue?  I just don't know why.  Take for example, AT&T, why do they not allow v2.1 to propagate?  If I would use an open line x10 (with v2.1) and used their SIM, I still could use their service, couldn't I?

Services are configured on a server level.. I don't think OS can be used to hack carrier's service to have unlimited call or unauthorized web access..  So what's the point of procastinating or even turning down the update?

Not applicable

Big mystery.... They are limiting all services through their own servers, not phones, actually in theory a phone do not need no one provider's customized settings and we got proof of it since an unblocked phone can jump from a carrier to another and only the band will determine a worldwide carrier compatible phone. This was the reason I've seen sceptically how SE did last update so complicated while XDA has a single version capable to work fine worldwide. I think manufacturers and carriers need a long time session to switch their politics to the current century.

Not applicable

thanks Suze :smileyblush:

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Uliwooly
Expert

hahahaa